UPF 50+ Clothing - Great for Eczematous Skin

I wanted to share some information about these products with you, because I think they are just great for kids with eczema.  (Actually, they are great for ALL kids, especially those who don't want to sit still while you slather them with sunblock.  Plus, it never washes off!)  As you may well know, it can be so hard to find a safe, gentle sunblock for our children's sensitive skin.  I have gone through a few brands and used California Baby for a while, but I think it irritated her a little bit.  The best solution is actually to not have to put sunblock on her skin, if I can avoid it, in some areas.  That's where the UPF 50+ clothing comes in...

I got my daughter a new set of Sun Smarties gear, since she has outgrown her set from last year.  They have an Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) of 50+, which means they block out 97.5% of the sun's ultraviolet rays.  They have zip suits, hats, and shoes, to keep your child covered head to toe, which they are probably accustomed to, anyway, right? ;)  The material is breathable and light and my daughter loves the fun colors.

Here are a few of my favorite items from the Sun Smarties line:

Sun Smarties Zip Suit

Sun Smarties Sun Hat

Sun Smarties Stay-Put Swim Shoes

Here is the set in action:

With her hat, zip suit and shoes on, I only have to use a little bit of sunblock for the exposed areas and the spots where the clothing might shift and expose her skin.  I typically coat her in a layer of Aquaphor ointment, to protect her skin and keep the water out, so her skin is not completely unprotected, of course.  This just helps me avoid having to reapply layers and layers of sunblock.

This is her go-to outfit for our trips to places like Sea World, the San Antonio Zoo, Morgan's Wonderland (we live in the San Antonio, TX area and are very lucky to have nearby access to all these great places!) and I love these outfits, because they make a quick transition from regular fun-in-the-sun to water play. 

I even bought a UPF top for myself from Coolibar.  They aren't cheap, but I also enjoy not having to pour on the sunscreen on top of everything else I have to do to get ready for a day in the sun.  I see it as an investment in my skin's future health.  Dermatology visits are very pricey.

Another option I recently found out about are Sunny Sleevez.  It's a UPF clothing option that can be added onto your child's (or your own) wardrobe.  If you're wearing a short-sleeved shirt, and you decide to head out into the sun, just pull these on over your arms.

Here is some information from the Sunny Sleevez's site:

Sun screen takes 20 minutes to even start working

Sun screen MUST be reapplied every 2 hours

Only 8% of the top 500 sunscreens tested by The EWG actually did what they claim!

Product image - SunnySleevez.com

It's pretty hard to find long-sleeved shirts at the store, in the summer and these are cooler and more breathable than Baby Legs.  (Sorry, Baby Legs, I loved you for so long for protecting my sweet baby's little legs, but you are just too warm for this Texas heat!)  I see Sunny Sleevez as "sleeve extensions" that provide simultaneous scratch and sun protection!

If you know of any other UPF clothing options, I'd love to know about them!

We also got a new product from Sunny Sleevez - their Color Change Necklace.

It's pretty cool! First of all, my daughter loves butterflies, so she loves to wear it and the "white" beads react to the UV rays and deepen in color depending on how strong the sun's rays are shining.  When the beads change color, we know we need to put on our Sunny Sleevez and/or sunblock! :)

I also bought a pair of white adult-size Sunny Sleevez for myself, to go with my short-sleeved shirts, to save from having the put on sunblock, on the days when I am not going to be in the sun all day long and don't want/need to wear the Coolibar shirt.

You can also check out my follow-up post, for more skin-protecting gear!